Walmart ‘edits’ critical New York Times column

The question of whether big-box stores such as Walmart pay fair wages and give back sufficiently to communities stirs rancorous debate, from newspaper editorials to U.S. senators.

But when New York Times writer Timothy Egan blasted the brand in a recent column headlined “The Corporate Daddy,” Walmart sought to use humor to hit back at alleged inaccuracies.

Highlighting the shifting dynamics between brands and media outlets in the social media age, a company official offered a “fact check” on its website. He marked up Egan’s copy with an editor’s red ink and then pushed the reply on Twitter.

“Tim: Thanks for sharing your first draft,” wrote David Tovar, Walmart’s vice president of corporate communications, in a statement published on its website. “Below are a few thoughts to ensure something inaccurate doesn’t get published. Hope this helps.”